Since the original launch with 1.0, the Keeper of the Lake has remained one of most recognizable landmarks in Eorzea. Starting with Patch 2.5 Before the Fall, the site can finally be explored by adventurers.

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Fifteen years ago, in the skies above Silvertear Falls, the invading forces of the XIVth Legion were set upon by a host of dragons. Leading the charge was Midgardsormr, legendary king of kings, who engaged the Garlean flagship, the Agrius, in battle. In the end, both Midgardsormr and his foe fell to the earth, and their tangled remnants stand as a memorial to that day─a ruined airship, and the charred corpse of the wyrm lord who brought it low, forever devoid of life...

The initial area is unnamed. Here, the party fights their way through lake creatures. The first three enemies are Harness Snipper and two Codpiece Clippers, and once defeated, the bridge to the next area can drop. After this, a Lake Pugil, two Cermet Coblyns, a Son of the Keeper, two Lake Pugils and a Lake Nanka are then fought. Tanks can choose to pull up to here. Off to the left is a treasure chest which may contain X-Potion, X-Ether or a Hi-Elixir. After all enemies defeated, the path leading up to the first boss must be traversed, with two Cermet Coblyns and a Hull Nix.

After this, the party will reach the hull of the Agrius. As they enter the bottom of the derelict, the first boss, Einhander, appears. Tahnks should tank this boss to the very back of the zone. The key mechanic here is that many Main Ceruleum Tanks and Auxiliary Ceruleum Tanks will be dropped around the zone, and Einhander hits them, they will explode and damage the party. Main tank explosions are almost unavoidable, but auxiliary tanks can be ran from. Party members can hit auxiliary tanks to move them away from the boss, particularly useful during its area-of-effect attacks. The Einhander will also draw other tanks in, which means that they should be moved immediately, or the party's tank should move the Einhander away from them.

Once Einhander is eliminated, the party heads towards a provisional research camp set up by Castrum Centri. Several 6th Cohort Centurions, 6th Cohort Vanguards 6th Cohort Eques, 6th Cohort Laquearius', 6th Cohort Secutors, 6th Cohort Signifers and two Magitek Colossi must be defeated as they ascend three platforms, with identification cards needed to open gates. Initially, the first platform is fought with few enemies, though the later two leading up to the second boss will contain a Magitek Colossus each, which is sealed away until a Magitek Field Inducer is destroyed. This area also contains a chest with either an X-Potion, X-Ether, or a Hi-Elixir, but is mostly linear.

Eventually they'll reach the second boss, the Magitek Gunship. This hovering craft will use Flamethrower in a frontal cone and occasionally fires missiles. If a party member is targeted, it will spray Garlean Fire on the ground in a straight line to the target, requiring careful movement to avoid burns (typically by moving nearer to the side). As its health lowers, several 6th Cohort soldiers will appear as reinforcements, and a Magitek Vanguard will appear when the gunship is nearly defeated. The fire attacks will become more relentless as the gunship gets low in health.

With the gunship gone, the party now moves out of the hull to climb along the spine of the deceased wyrmking's body. A second gunship will harass the party with ordnance as they fight with birds and dragons along the outer hull; the gunship's attacks will also break obstructions leading to the top. At the uppermost part of the Agrius, as the party approaches Midgardsormr's head, his spirit awakens and attacks in a ghostly form.

Midgardsormr uses several area of effect attacks that require a lot of movement to dodge, so casters need to time their attacks. At 90% health, he revives the yellow Mirage Dragon and becomes invulnerable. The yellow dragon uses lightning attacks similar to the FATE NM Svara. During this phase, an Astraea will appear; it must be defeated immediately to create an invincibility field to survive Midgardsormr's Animadversion attack. Once the dragon is slain, Midgardsormr's health drops to 50%. Shortly after, he awakens the other Mirage Dragon, and starts using new attacks. The same process must be done with Astraea to withstand Animadversion. With the second dragon out of the way, Midgardsormr is down to 10% health, and can be finished off directly.